Nontorque knitted fabric



Sept. 2, 1969 c. R. ANDERSON 3,464,238

NONTORQUE KNITTED FABRIC Original Filed Deq. 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheetl INVENTOR.

F .3 CA/QROLL R ANDERSON AT TORNE Y5 Sept. 2, 1969 c. R. ANDERSON 3,464,238

NONTORQUE KNITTED FABRIC Original Filed Dec. 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 46 FIGJ F104 INVENTOR. CA RROLL R. ANDERSON ATTORNEYJ United States Patent 3,464,238 NONTORQUE KNITTED FABRIC Carroll R. Anderson, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Munsingwear, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Original application Dec. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 510,794, now

Patent No. 3,415,081, dated Dec. 10, 1968. Divided and this application June 25, 1968, Ser. No. 739,763

Int. Cl. D04b 1/00, 21/00 U.S. Cl. 66-169 v 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A plurality of single strand yarns each having a twist therein substantially equal in amount and direction knitted into a jersey fabric which is twisted about its longitudinal axis during knitting so that the wales are skewed relative to the longitudinal axis proportional to the amount and direction of twist in the individual yarns.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention pertains to a knitted fabric of Single strand yarns of the jersey type in which the torque is substantially removed therefrom incuding an improved knitting machine for producing such fabric and more particularly to aknitting machine in which the wales of the fabric produced therein are skewed relative to the longitudinal axis in a direction and at an angle proportional to the direction and amount of twist in the yarn making up the fabric.

Knitting yarns constructed of material such as cotton, wool, or the like, have a twist therein due to the manner in which they are constructed, which is classified as a Z or an S twist depending upon the direction of the twist. The amount of this twist may vary somewhat between different types of yarn and different manufacturers. When the yarn is knitted into a fabric in single ply yarn, such as a jersey fabric or the like, the twist of the various strands of yarn work together to produce a torque in the fabric with a magnitude approximately equal to one turn of the fabric about its longitudinal axis per 7 to 11 yards of length. Because of this torque the fabric will not lie fiat and the edges have a tendency to curl and twist, which makes the fabric extremely difficult to handle and causes much difficulty during the use thereof.

Description of the prior art In the prior art many ideas have been mechanized to compensate for the torque in knitted fabric but none of these ideas are very effective. In general use is a process for treating the fabric to produce a somewhat harder surface so that the fabric will lie flat while a garment is being produced therefrom. However, once the garment is washed the treatment is substantially removed and the garment will not lie flat or hang straight on the wearer. This is especially notice able in long garments because the bottom of the garment, in some cases, will actually turn as much as one-quarter of'a turn relative to the the top of the garment.

Another methodof compensating for the torque in fabrics is to alternate yarn having a Z twist and yarn having an S twist when the fabric is knitted. In this fashion ice the S twist in the yarn compensates for the Z twist in the adjacent yarn and the net torque is substantially zero. However, the overall appearance of this fabric is somewhat distasteful since adjacent lengths of yarn in the fabric are not parallel. Also, it is necessary for the operators of the knitting machine to be extremely careful when they place yarn in the machine, since Z and S twist yarn must be alternated at the sources, or at least nearly equal amounts must be utilized. Thus, extra time is required in the operation of the machines and equal amounts of at least two different types of yarn must be available at all times. This increases the time and expense of the knitting process. 7

Another method is to use two or more plys of yarn in the same strand, whereby the torque of each strand works against the torque of the other strands, tending to neutralize the total torque of the yarn. However, this extra operation of plying the strands adds cost and is therefore generally not used in mass production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to an improved knitted jersey fabric formed from a plurality of single strand yarns each having a twist therein substantially equal in amount and direction, said fabric being skewed during knitting in a direction and at an angle proportional to the amount and direction of twist in the individual yarns to substantially remove all total torque in the fabric.

In the present invention a standard sinker-top knitting machine is utilized for exemplary purposes. In a sinkertop knitting machine a plurality of sources supply yarn to a plurality of needles in a knitting head. A motor provides relative rotation between the knitting head and the yarn sources, thereby, providing the knitting action so that a continuous length of fabric is produced. This continuous length of fabric is rolled into a takeup reel which is rotated about a horizontal axis at a speed sufiicient to maintain the length of fabric taut and at the same time the takeup reel is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the cloth at a speed equal to the relative rotation of the knitting head and the yarn sources. Thus, in the standard sinker-top knitting machine the knitted fabric is rolled onto the takeup reel so the wales, or the longitudinal ridges produced by a single row of stitches, are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fabric. In the present exemplary apparatus the standard sinker-top knitting machine is modified so that the fabric is wound onto the takeup reel with the wales skewed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the fabric. The skew of the wales if proportional to the amount of twist in the yarn making up the fabric so that the fabric wound on the takeup reel is at rest or has substantially no torque therein. Thus, the present device does not compensate for the torque in a fabric but substantially removes the torque therefrom.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved knitting machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a knitting machine which produces a knitted fabric having substantially no torque therein.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fabric having substantially no torque therein.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fabric which when made into a garment will not twist or turn.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanying specification, claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indictate like parts throughout the figures:

4 FIGURE l is a view in perspective of a sinker-top knit a ting machine'with the present modification incorporated therein; FIGURE 2 is a sectional view as seen from the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1, parts thereof shown in elevation; FIGURE "3 is a detailed view in'perspective of the a paratus making up thetakeup reel rotating means;

FIGURE 4 illustrates a portion of jersey fabric having torque therein; and p I j FIGURE 5 illustrates a portion of jersey fabric which is substantially at rest, orha's no torque therein. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED i EMBODIMENT, J

A revolving cylinder circular knittingmachine is generally designated '10 and illustrated in FIG.--l. This type of knitting machine is generally referred to as a sinker-top knitting machine which is'cornmercially available and,

an aving an e n h sth s a t r s s of the "fabric. Fixedly attached to the underside of the gear wheel 37 in a substantially vertical and parallel relationship are a pair of rectangular shaped supports 38. The takeup reel 17 is rotatably mountedbetween the supports for rotation about a substantially. horizontal -axis vMeans not shown rotate the takeup-reel,1-7..about the horizontal axis at a suflicientspeed to maintain the cylinder of. knitted fabric 16 taut and the entire assembly is rotatably driven by the pinion gear36-about-the longitudinal axis of the cylinder of knitted'fa'bric 16m, in this-embodiment, about a substantially vertical axis. I 3

, The entire gear'asse'mbly'is enclosed a housing40 having openings therein for the meshing of pinion gear therefore, will not be described in'detail. Knitting machines of thistype have a knitting head 11 which comprises a plurality of knitting head segments 12 arranged 'in'a circular ring and'a rotatingcylinder, containing a plurality of knitting needles (not shown), which are operated by stationary cams mounted in the knitting head segments. A plurality of knitting yarn inputs 13 have yarn therein which is fed to the knitting machine 10 from a plurality of spools of yarn (not shown) mounted above the machine 10. The yarn in each yarn input 13 is fed from its spool through a tension guide 14 and a yarn guide 15 to one of the segments 12 of the knitting head 11. The knitting head 11 knits the yarns into a tube or cylinder of knitted fabric 16, which is fed to the bottom of the knitting machine 10 and gathered on a takeup reel 17, illustrated in FIG. 1 with some fabric rolled thereon. A suitable drive means 18 mounted on a frame 19 drives the knitting machine 10 through a series of gears illustrated in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 2 the drive means 18 is mechanically connected to a sprocket wheel 20 by a link chain 21. Wheel 20 is fixedly attached to a horizontal shaft 22 by a hub 23. Shaft 22 has a plurality of reducing gears (not shown) situated in a gear reduction box 24 which reduce the speed of the input shaft 22 down to a desirable value at an out- 25 and face gear 26 and pinion gear 36 and gear wheel 37. A lower portion ,41 of the housing,40, is quickly removable so that the "speed of the pinion gear 36 relative to the shaft may be easily varied.'Such variations in speed'are accomplished by changing the ratios of gears 31, 33, 34 and '35 'in'a'number of ways well known to thoseskilled in the art. In this fashion the speed of rotation bf the-takeup 'reel 17 about the vertical axisrelative to the knitting head 11 can be easily and quickly changed.

Although a single drive means 18 is illustrated in this embodiment it should be understood that a drive means might be utilized-to rotate the knitting head 11 and a separate drive means might be utilized to rotate the take- .up reel 17 about the vertical axis at varying speeds. It

should also be understood that various methods might be utilized to operatively connect the drive means 18 to the knitting head 11 and the takeup reel 17 to attain the desired relative speeds. In some knitting machines of the type described the knitting head 11 and the takeup reel 17 are stationary while yarn inputs 13 are rotated along withthecams which produce the knitting action in the needles. In this type of machine a separate drive means is utilized to drive the takeup reels 17 at the desired speed with respect to the relative rotation between the knitting head 11 and the yarn inputs 13.

put or pinion gear 25. The pinion gear 25 is meshed with a face gear 26 having cogs in the lower face thereof and fixedly attached to the lower surface of a ring 27 which is concentric with the knitting head 11 and operatively attached thereto. A second ring 28 is mounted concentric with the ring 27 and adjacent the outer edge thereof. The ring 28 is fixedly mounted on the frame 19 by means not shown for clarity in the figures. A plurality of rods 29 help support the upper structure, including guides 14 and 15, and maintain it concentric.

Power is transferred from the horizontal shaft 22 to a vertical shaft 30 by means of gears (not shown) in the gear box 24. The shaft 30 extends downwardly from the gear box 24 and has a drive gear 31 fixedly attached thereto. Below the drive gear 31, adjacent the lower'end of the shaft 30, is a concentrically mounted hollow shaft 32. The shaft 32 andthe shaft 30 are mounted so that the shaft 30 rotates freely within the shaft 32. A driven gear 33 is fixedly mounted at the upper end of the shaft 32 adjacent the drive gear 31 and in a parallel plane. A pair of idler gears 34 and 35 are fixedly mounted on a shaft 39 which is in turn rotatably mounted parallel with and spaced apart from the shaft 32 so the idler gears 34 and 35 mesh with the drive gear 31 and the driven gear I, In FIG. 4 a portion of knitted fabric is illustrated having wales. 45 extending approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof Fabric of this type is produced when the takeup reel 17 is rotated about the vertical axis at the same speed as the knitting head 11. The portion of knitted cloth illustrated in FIG. 4 has torquefthereon which tends to cause the material to turn or twist about the longitudinal axis approximately one complete turn per 7 to 11 yards of fabric. In FIG. 5 a portion of fabric is illustrated with the wales 46 skewed at'an angle to the longitudinal axis thereof. Fabric of this type is produced when the takeup reel 17 is rotated about the vertical axis slightly faster thanthe knitting head 11 as disclosed in thisspecification. The portion of fabric'illustrated in FIG. 5 is substantially at rest. That is, this fabric has substantially no torque therein. The yarn utilized "to produce the fabric in FIG. 5 has a Z type twist and it should be notedthat the wales in a fabric produced from yarn having an S type twist would be skewed in the opposite direction at an angle'proportional to the amount of twist in the yarn. Also, when the knitting head 11 rotates clockwise with respcctto the yarn inputs 13, viewing FIG. 1 from the top, the takeup reel 17 must rotate in the same direction but slightly faster for Z twist yarns and slightly slower for S twist yarns. When the knitting head 11 rotates counterclockwise, viewing FIG. l from the top, the takeup reel 17 must rotate slightly slower for Z twist yarns and slightly faster for S twist yarns. In this fashion the torqueis removed from the fabric during the knitting process with no extra operations required.

. .Thus, I have disclosed a jersey type knitted fabric having substantially no torque therein and apparatus for producing the same. Because the disclosed apparatus removes the torque rather than compensating for it, the fabric will always remain at rest and will not twist ortur-n even after numerous washings. Also, the present apparatus for removing the torque from the knitted fabric is relatively inexpensive and does not require additional operator time or material.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved knitted jersey fabric having substantially no torque therein including a plurality of single strand yarns each having a twist therein substantially equal in amount and direction, said yarns being knitted into an elongated jersey fabric to form a plurality of substantially parallel wales and said wales being skewed relative to the longitudinal axis of said fabric during the knitting thereof in a direction and at an angle proportional to the amount and direction of twist in the yarns so that the knited fatbric has substantially no torque therein.

2. An improved knitted jersey fabric having substantially no torque therein as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wales are skewed relative to the longitudinal axis of the fabric an amount approximately equal to one complete turn about the longitudinal axis every seven to eleven yards of length of the fabric.

3. A method of producing an improved knitted jersey fabric having substantially no torque therein including the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of single strand yarns each 5 having a twist therein substantially equal in amount and direction;

(b) knitting said yarns into an elongated jersey fabric having a plurality of substantially parallel wales formed therein; and

(c) twisting said fabric about the longitudinal axis thereof as it is knitted so that said wales are skewed relative to the longitudinal axis of said fabric in a direction and at an angle proportional to the amount and driection of twist in the yarns to substantially eliminate any torque in said fabric.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,260,521 10/1941 Henning 66-170 XR 2,578,889 12/1951 Kennedy 66-169 XR 2,994,214 8/1961 Wood et a1. 66-202 XR 3,125,848 3/1964 Baebler 57-140 3,399,524 9/1968 Koizumi.

WILLIAM C. REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

